RIO DE JANEIRO, July 5 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's World Cup round-of-16 exit to Norway on Sunday prompted widespread soul-searching in the country's media.
O Globo called it "the end of the dream of the hexa," alluding to Brazil's long wait for a sixth World Cup title.
The newspaper said Carlo Ancelotti's first World Cup with Brazil ended before the team had even reached "the ghost" of the quarterfinals, in reference to its recent struggles to advance beyond the last eight.
It noted Brazil had not exited in the round of 16 since Diego Maradona's Argentina dashed its hopes in 1990.
O Globo also pointed to a stark number from New Jersey: Brazil had just 32 percent of possession, its lowest figure in a World Cup match since records began in 1966.
Folha de S.Paulo led with a similar sense of heartbreak and rupture.
"Brazil is out, and the dream fades," it said.
The newspaper said the Norwegians "rowed, triumphed and left the Selecao on the beach" after Erling Haaland's two second-half goals.
Folha lamented "a most melancholy" day for Neymar, suggesting that Brazil's all-time leading scorer had played his last World Cup match aged 34.
It said Ancelotti would now have four years to build a team "without improvisation," arguing he had not been given enough time to fully implement his ideas after his appointment in May last year.
UOL took a much harsher view, framing the defeat against Ancelotti's remarkable record in European club football.
"Failure with the Selecao is the biggest of Ancelotti's career, the king of clubs," it said.
Writing separately for UOL, columnist Mauro Cezar Pereira blamed the Italian's tactical approach.
"An elimination shaped by the coach's choices. From a strategic standpoint and the decision to play, once again, without the ball," he wrote.
Pereira also pointed out that Brazil had been eliminated by European teams at six consecutive World Cups dating back to 2006.
Gazeta Esportiva focused on Bruno Guimaraes' first-half penalty miss.
The outlet noted the Newcastle United midfielder became the first Brazilian since Zico against France in 1986 not to score from an in-play World Cup penalty. ■
